Caltrans Director Teams Up with Veterans to Combat Litter

Last updated 4/20/2017 at 4:28am

In recognition of the 48th anniversary of Earth Day, Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty, along with members of the Caltrans Veterans Outreach Program, and maintenance workers across the state, will be picking up trash to bring attention to the litter problem on California highways.

Joining in the fight against litter are veterans who are involved in a new transitional employment program for men and women returning from duty, and also assists those who may need help re-entering the workforce. This program is possible through innovative collaborations between Caltrans and the Butte County Office of Education (BCOE), and various community-based organizations throughout the state.

Last year Caltrans spent more than $67 million on litter removal, collecting enough litter, trash, and debris from highways to fill almost 9,000 garbage trucks. Parked end-to-end, those trucks would stretch almost 50 miles.

Litter is especially problematic when needlessly discarded items make their way into the state’s waterways, impacting the public’s health as well as the environment. Caltrans urges Californians to “Protect Every Drop” in conjunction with Caltrans’ storm water campaign.